NEA asks contractors to complete transmission line by mid-July

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Mar. 10: The Nepal Electricity Authority has given a deadline to the contractors to complete the construction of the Tamakoshi-Kathmandu 220/400 kV transmission line project by mid-July.

Under the project, 44 km from New Khimti substation in Ramechhap to Bahrabise in Sindhupalchowk and 46 km long 400 kV double circuit from Bahrabise to Lapsephedi in Kathmandu, and 14 km long 132 kV transmission line from Lapsephedi to Changunarayan in Bhaktapur and 220/132/11 kV substation in Bahrabise are under construction.

Besides, 400/220/132/11 kV substations are being constructed at Lapsiphedi, 400 kV at Bahrabise and 400 kV at New Khimti.

The construction of Tamakoshi-Kathmandu transmission line and substation has been started to supply the electricity of the Tamakoshi and Sunkoshi rivers and the tributaries of the rivers to the Kathmandu Valley and connect it to the national grid.

A team of NEA, including Managing Director of NEA Kul Man Ghising and Deputy Director of Project Management Directorate Tara Prasad Pradhan visited the Bahrabise substation under the project on Wednesday and instructed to complete the construction of the important transmission line and substation within mid-July, this year.

According to the NEA, the team has instructed to complete the construction of New Khimti-Bahrabise, Bahrabise-Kathmandu and Bahrabise substations within mid-July, promising to facilitate and coordinate to remove the obstacles in the construction.

Warning for paying compensation

The team had a detailed discussion with the contractors of the transmission line and substation, about the progress being made in the construction so far, the schedule for completion, the problems being faced and the solutions.

The construction of the transmission line has been affected due to various issues, including tree felling, land acquisition, obstruction of local residents in the right of way of the transmission line.

Ghising said that the work of the Chinese companies Guangxi Transmission and Substation Construction and Shenzhen Clou Electronics, which got the contract for the construction of Bahrabise substations, is not satisfactory.

Under the leadership of Chilime Hydropower Company, the power of the 102 MW Madhya Bhotekoshi Hydropower Project under construction at Sindhupalchowk will be connected to the Bahrabise substation.

Work is being forwarded with the goal of completing the construction of Madhya Bhotekoshi by mid-July, 2023.

MD Ghising warned the contractor that if the substation was not built within June and the electricity generated from Madhya Bhotekoshi could not be connected, the contractor should pay compensation.

"Madhya Bhotekoshi has already built the tower of the transmission line up to the substation, if the construction of the substation is not completed, how will the electricity flow? So, it is necessary to complete the construction of the substation in time," said Ghising.

"If the construction of the substation is not completed and there is a situation where the electricity of Madhya Bhotekoshi is wasted, the income obtained from the sale of 102 megawatt of electricity on a daily basis will be collected from the contractor."

The Authority has made a temporary alternative arrangement for the power supply of Madhya Bhotekoshi. However, for that too, the construction of Bahrabise substation is necessary. The electricity of Madhya Bhotekoshi will be connected to Bahrabise substation through 220 kV transmission line.

The electricity supplied from 220 kV transmission line will be reduced to 132 kV through Bahrabise substation. After that, an alternative arrangement has been made to connect the 132 kV transmission line to the long-distance substation constructed by the 22 MW Upper Chaku A Hydropower Project.

The Upper Chaku A Hydropower Project has now completed the survey to construct a transmission line of about 4 km from Bahrabise Bazar to Bahrabise Substation.

The project said it will take a maximum of four months to build this line.

After this line is built, the project which is now connected to Lamosangu substation will be connected to Bahrabise substation.

Ghising said that after the construction of Bahrabise substation and new Khimti-Bahrabise substation is completed, electricity from Madhya Bhotekasi can flow to Khimti.

Bahrabise substation will have power transformers of 220 /132 kV, 160 MVA and 132/11 kV, 5 MVA.

Out of the 118 towers in the New Khimti-Bahrabise section under the transmission line, 71 towers have been erected and 17.5 km of wire has been expanded.

However, even after 74 per cent of the contract period had passed, the company did not done the initial construction work, and the contract was terminated while the contract period was remaining.

The Authority cancelled the contract with the Chinese company and seized 10 per cent of the contract amount (USD 1.454 million) and Rs. 61.6 million as bank guarantee.

After that, the Authority selected the contractor through a new tender.

Out of the 122 towers in the Bahrabise-Lapsephedi section, the foundations of 111 have been laid, while the foundation of four towers is in progress.

So far, around 103 have been erected and 12.5 km of wire is extended.

The construction of four towers in Lapsephedi could not be started due to the obstruction of the locals. Construction of transmission line is being affected due to obligation to use land of forest area, cutting of trees and obstruction of locals.